Window blind



c. P. KEjGLEY 2,49,3M

wINDow BLIND I Film Dec. 11, 1945 QMMWMI CHRLES Di KGLY Patente Apr. 17, 1951 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDOW BLIND Charles P; Kegley, ,PulaskL Va. Application December 11, 1945, Serial No. 634,188

This invention relates to theclass of window accessories and pertains particularly to blinds and more especially to the type known as Venetian blinds.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a blind structure which is so designed as to be readily inserted into a window frame or opening and which is provided with slats mounted in a novel manner to be readily oscillated to opened or closed position.

Another object' of the present invention is to provide a slat blind which is initially set-up as a complete unit ready for installation in` a window frame and which has the slats set in the frame in a novel manner whereby any one may be removed and replaced without taking the frame outV of the windowV frame and without taking ony of the adjacent slats from position.

Still another object of this invention is to pro- -vide in a window blind structure of' the character stated, a novel manner of mounting the individual slats for turning, such mounting being so designed that a relatively largecircular bearing is provided for each end of each slat without the employment of pins or trunnions.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a blind structure having a frame in which opposite side members are provided upon their inner faces with vertically spaced bearing'ribs and each of the slats is attached at each end to .a bearing disc which is mounted between a pair of ribs and retained in position for'turning action upon the lower one thereof. I

A still further object is to provide; in a structure of the character stated, a novel slip copling between the ends of the slats and thev bearing .discs, by.,means of which any slat may be disengaged from its bearing dise and also whereby any slat may be separated from the slip coupling rafter the coupling and disc are separated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of the same proceeds and the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following Vdetailed description taken in connection with the 'accompanyi'ng drawing forming a; part of the specification, with the understanding, however,

9 Claims. (Cl. 20-62) 'that theinvention is not confine'd toa strict -conformity with the showingl of thedrawing but may be changed or modified so long as such portion and a part of the lower portion of a slat blind constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detail section taken transversely of two slats and looking toward the end bearings by which they are mounted in a side of the frame.

Figure 3 is aface view of a bearing disc.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an end of a slat showing the coupling by Which it is joined to a disc.

Figure 5 is an edge view of a disc.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of a bearing rib plate showing a preferred manner of forming the bearing rib.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral [0 generally designates the frame of the blind. vThis frame may be made in any desired size to fit in and extend from the top to the bottom of a window frame or to cover a part thereof if desired, such for example as the lower half.

' As 'shown the frame consists of the upper and lower horizontal bars Il and 12 and the vertical side bars {3. Preferably, though not neecssarily, the-horizontal bars are formed of wood while the vertical bars'are formed of sheet metal.

When so constructed the side bars have at their two ends the inwardly directed side ears [4, between which an end ofa horizontal bar is positioned and secured. Thus there is obtained the finished rectangular frame IB, which, when made of proper dimensions, may be set in and secured to the window frame in which it is to be used.

VAt each longitudinal side of each vertical bar, between the ears li, a portion of the bar l3 is turned in to provide a guide flange l5. These flanges, at the opposite sides of each vertical bar, are spaced from the body of the bar to form a channel [6, for thepurpose about to be described.

The Width of the channel 'l is sufficient to receive the edges of a long, flat plate H and the peripheral portion of a bearing disc l8.

The plate Il has disposed transversely thereof at intervals, the bearing ribs [9. The Spaces between the ribs are only slightly greater than the diameter 'of a disc. v'Also as will be readily apparent upon referenceto Figures 1, 2 and 6, the ribs l9 are of a length substantially equal to 'the distance between the opposing edges of the guide flanges l5. Thus when the plate l'l is inserted in the'guide grooves IG, this being done before one of the horizontal rails is secured in position Vbetween the vertical bars [3,

the ends of the ribs IQ. will be securely held between the opposing edges of the fianges l5.

While any suitable means may be provided for forming the ribs IQ, the method illustrated particularly in Figure 6 is preferred. In this method of forming a rib it Will be seen that the plate l'l is provided at each edge With cut out portions or transversely extending short slots 20, the extent of the slots, which are arranged in pairs transversely of the plate, being such as to leave an intervening portion of the plate material of a Width to form the desired length of bearing rib. Such intervening portion of theV plate material between the slots 20 is then folded along a center line extending transversely of the plate and along lines alining With the edges of the slot 20 so that such intervening portion of material is brought into a rib form to project from the face of the plate l'l as shown in Figure 6.

The distance between the opposed bottoms of the channels 16 is substantially the same as the distance between adjacent pairs of bearing ribs [9 and these distances are substantially equal to the diameter of a dise l8. Thus it will be seen that When a dise is interposed between a pair of bearing ribs [9, With opposite sides of its periphery in the channels 15, it will be maintained against movement transversely of the vertical bar 13 and also against movement longitudinally thereof but it may rotate freely, there being, of course, an allowance made of suicient Clearance between the edge of the dise and the bearing ribs and the bottoms of the guide channels, to permit such free rotation without, at the same time, allowing such looseness as to permit rattling.

Each of the bearing discs IB is provided With two spaced parallel slots 2! Which extend across the discs on opposite sides of the center and theportion of the dise material between the slots 2i is pressed outwardly from the face of the dise to provide the relatively long loop or keeper band 22. On one side of this band 22 and spaced from and in alinement with the transverse center of the band, the disc 18. is pressed to form the Outstanding keeper lug 23 which projects from the face of the dise nearest to the band 22 and from which the band 22 is spaced.

Within the frame lll and extending transversely thereof between the vertical side bars 13 is a plurality of spaced parallel flat slats, each of Which is designated 24.

The slats 22 are attached at each end to a bearing dise [8 through the medium of a coupling unit which is generally designated 25` Each of the coupling units 25 comprises a boot 2% Which is formed from a fiat plate 21 of suitable metal, having portions, of each side turned to provide the spaced flanges 28, the spaces between the fianges and the body of the plate providing grooves, or channels 29 in Which an end of a slat 24 is positioned. i

At one end of the boot 25 there is provided the transversely .extending shoulder 39 Which is formed integral with a tongue 3l, which is spaced from the adjacent end of the boot and Which is of decreased Width at its free edge a s indicated at 32. In the structure here shown the shoulder 35 and tongue 3i are formed as an integral continuation of a portion of the metal plate 27 which provides the boot 26 but it is to be iunderstood that, While this is the preferred manner of forming this connector, it

4 may be formed in any other suitable manner.

The Width of the tongue 3! is such as to facilitate its snug engagement under the holding band 22, the tongue extending across the face of the dise l8 to Which it is attached. The free end of the tongue is started under the band 22 and across the face of the disc adjacent to the band, from the side of the band nearest to the lug 23 and when the tongue has been forced through under the band the shoulderv will ride' across the lug and finally come to position against the side of the lug nearest to the band. In other Words the top edge of the shoulder Will engage the lug and thus hold f the tongue against escape from beneath the band' 22. It will be understood that the dise Will have suicient resiliency to allow the tongue to pass across the lug and under the band until thev shoulder has come into the desired position and When such position is reached the lug will prevent reverse movement of the tongue unless force is` appl-ied.

i It Will be readily apparent. that the connectors 25 may be engaged with or disengaged from the dise l8 and that, therefore, the slats 24 Which have therends inserted. into the connectorboots 26, can be readily removed or replaced from the blindf structure Without having to take down the blind or disassemble it inV any manner.

Several slats of the blind are loosely coupled together by a bar 33 through the medium of the interconnected eyes 34, in the usual manner of coupling together the slats of'blind's of thischaracter. Byl such means all of the slats may be turned or oscillated together lWhen it is desired to open or close the blinds.

From the foregoing it Will beV readily apparent thatv the blind of`` the presentinvention is of such design that the various parts thereof may be easily and quickly made by stamping from sheet metal of suitable weight and readily assembled and installed` in position. It'will also be apparent that by reason of the novel construction of the vertical side bars the maximum Width of a Windowopening may be utilized for the admission slon of light and air. Furthermore, it Will-be seen that by the provision of the novel bearing discs at the ends of the slats, mounted in the opposing channels' of the vertical side bars, between the vertically spaced bearing ribs, the structure may be easily set up without the necessity of forming bearing openings or apertures for pivottrunnions such as are commonlyemployed in other blind structures of a similarr character.

I claim':

l. A blind structure designed to be installed within a ywindow frame, comprising a frame unit having verticalside bars, a plurality of blind slats disposed transversely between said vertical bars, a dise member mounted upon each end of each slatand disposed in close proximity to the inner side face of a vertical bar, means disposed in- Wardly With respect to. said inner side faces of the vertical bars forming bearings betweenr which the discs are disposed for rotation and means overlying said faces and maintaining' the discs between the bearings.

2. A? blind structure of the character stated in claim l, with 'interconnecting elements between the ends of the slats and' the. discaacilitatingthe disconnection ofr the slats from the discs `without removing theV discs from, position upon the 'supporting'bars.

3. A. blind, structure of the character stated,

comprising a pair of spaced. parallelbar members having flat inner faces, the bar members being designed to be positioned vertically within a window frame, a plurality of blind slats disposed in spaced parallel relation between said bars and having their ends in close proximty to the bars, a flat, Circular bearing element at each end of each slat, means coupling each bearing element with the adjacent slat to position the radial center of the bearing element at the longitudinal center of the slat, said bearing elements being disposed in front of and in parallel relation with and in close proximity to the inner faces of the adjacent vertical bars, elements disposed in spaced relation with one another and supported by said bars providing bearing surfaces upon which the circular bearing elements are rotatably supported, and means retaining the bearing members in position between said elements.

4. A blind structure of the character stated in claim 3, in which the said elements disposed in spaced relation with one another and supported by the vertical bars comprise a series of vertically spaced, transversely extending ribs between adjacent pairs of Which the Circular members are maintained, a lower one of each of the ribs having a, circular member rotatably supported thereon.

5. A blind construction of the character stated, comprising a pair of spaced parallel bar members adapted to be disposed in vertical position within a window frame, each of said bar members having longitudinally extending spaced guide channels upon its inner face, a plurality of bearing ribs supported in vertically spaced relation and transversely of the inner surface of each bar, between the adjacent 'spaced channels, a disc member disposed between adjacent pairs of ribs and having opposite sides of its periphery rotatably engaged in the adjacent opposed channels, one of the ribs adjacent to each disc forming a bearing surface upon which the periphery of the disc turns, a plurality of slats disposed in spaced parallel relation between the vertical bars, and means connecting each slat at each end with a disc for rotation therewth.

6. A blind construction of the character stated, comprising spaced parallel bar members adapted to be disposed in vertical position within a window frame, each bar member having longitudinal spaced guide channels, disc members disposed between and having their peripheries engaged in the guide channels of each bar member, means supporting the disc members for rotation, a plurality of slats disposed in spaced parallel relation between the vertical bars, and a separable i the end of a slat and extending transversely across the same, a loop carried by the disc for receiving the tongue, and means for releasably holding the tongue in the loop, said loop being set inwardly from the plane of the inner face of the disc to facilitate the withdrawal of the tongue from the loop.

8. A blind structure of the character stated in claim 6, wherein th'e said means for connecting the ends of the slats with the disc comprses a boot member in which the end of the slat is engaged, a tongue formed integral with the boot member and extending transversely of the adjacent end of the slat, means forming a shoulder at one end of the tongue, a keeper loop carried by and extending across the center of each disc beneath which the said tongue is frictionally engaged, and means carried by each disc adjacent to the loop for engagement over the adjacent shoulder when the tongue is frictionally engaged in the loop to prevent accidental displacement of the tongue from beneath the loop.

9. A blind structure of the character stated, comprising a pair of spaced, parallel bar members having flat inner faces, the bar members being 'designed to be positioned vertically within a window frame, a plurality of blind slats disposed in spaced parallel relation between said bars and having their ends in'close proximity to the bars, a flat, circular bearing element at each end of each slat, means coupling each bearing element with the adjacent slat to position the radial center of the bearing element at the longitudinal center of the slat, said bearing elements being disposed in front of and in parallel relation with and in close prcximity to the inner faces of the adjacent vertical bars, elements disposed in spaced relation With one another and supported by said bars providing bearing surfaces upon which the circular bearing elementsV are rotatably supported, the last named means being provided at opposite longitudinal edges of said vertical bars, and the coupling means between the ends of the slats and the Circular members com'prise interlocking parts by means of which the slats may be disconnected from the Circular members While such members are maintained in position with respect to the supporting bars.

CHARLES P. KEIGLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATEN'I'S Number Name Date 257,125 Young Apr. 25, 1882 390,392 Niss Oct. 2, 1888 617,468 Miller Jan. 10, 1899 1,24 0`,863 Lyda Sept. 25, 1917 2,18 5,712 Rowley Jan. 2, 1940 

